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To wax a little more philosophically…	June 17, 2008, 5:32PM
by: Jareth
What does it mean, if presently known to be 20+ years incarnate; and confirmed to be only mortal.. when one feels with conviction, certainty, and no doubt that there is more to reality with however no idea what? That there is more to us, but have no objective proof? That that one has been on or around this world for ghastly amounts of time, but aside from stray and confused feelings and memories that a good deal of psychologists would call “false” or otherwise discredit, has no recollection? Perhaps it is the wishful thinking of a weak mind ill equipped to handle the rigors of daily life? Possibly the imaginative construct of a borderline delusional with a tentative grasp on “rational” existence? Or is it a wistful recollection hindered by a lack of supporting similarity in the present experience? Could holding to this, despite copious amounts of subjective evidence be considered faith? Would logic then not dictate that, if one can not hold to blind faith, or even faith of any form (being defined as an unsubstantiated belief) that this too, must be eschewed? Religion could just as easily be described as magic of several forms. Reality, what Is real? What kills us? Surely that, above all else, must be real? Perhaps death, as a state is more real than life? Consider maybe that reality is merely is merely a massive illusion, as so many others have theorized. Where then would we, as observants to the illusion be? Within it, surrounded and immersed? Or is it in us? Are we being fed the illusion directly to our minds? Again, an old idear, but no less valid. Answering this question would require us to have some idea of the true nature of our existence. However THAT requires a confidence in the nature of reality. To exist a thing must have at least 3 dimensions: Mass, Energy, Motion. For these to manifest in truth there must be a supporting framework, or structural mechanism. A reality. This is what traditional temporal mechanics leads me to believe. The nature of that reality dictates the parameters of the possibilities available to exist in. Reality can be conjectured upon by extrapolation from analysis of existence. It is what science is half-assedly doing. The truth of that can only be seen when the effort is made to see both what is and is not, if you just go in to prove a point you will miss nearly everything. So; to discern if this, our existence and thus our reality, is “real” of illusion, it would seem necessary to have multiple points of view. Assuming that what we exist in is real and not a willful illusion, that then leaves the proverbial doors wide open as to the possibilities in regards the previous questions. Even from our limited point of view on this existence, a wide number of modes of existing seem mathematically possible when considering the subsequent extrapolation of the theoretical nature of reality. Reality, as far as any scientific endeavor has been able to determine, has an ordered electromagnetic basis. Meaning the base creative elements herein are a seemingly structured chaos of electromagnetic energy. Electromagnetism by its very nature allows for numerous modes of energetic existence. Which is basically reality in general as we now know it, since matter is only modulated energy. The “Ordered Chaos” comes into play when you analyse the base constituents of sub-atomic particles. Quarks, muons, buons, and the even smaller items of whose names elude me. The effects and existence of these are generally known and repeatable (order) though not even close to being fully understood or explainable (chaos), else less would be called theory still. I digress. It should be fairly obvious if anyone cares to research, that while we know and understand a great deal about nature and our existence; reality is another beast entirely. Just when man tries to delude himself into thinking he knows more than a smidgen, another monkey with a wrench is seen. I propose that given the apparent foundation in our theorized reality, it could be possible and more than probable that sequential repetitive existence of a consciousness is a “real” thing. No less than the idea of static, or disposable consciousness. More likely than either, I’d say. One thing I’ve noticed as a key element, regardless of where it is seen it is the same, is the reality of balance. Harmony. I have yet to be aware of an instance wherein balance is not had through some means or another. Where would the balance be if consciousness were continually brought in, but never returned? (To die, and have your spirit remain in the dirt with the body?) What would the point be of that output of energy? What about the concept of when the body dies, the spirit simply ceases to be? Balance? Perhaps. This is a little more plausible than the previous, if the energy of that spirit were somehow recycled back into the stew of reality as raw. Then it could be more believable. However there would be a tragic loss of life knowledge and experience. This would also preclude another constant I am aware of: Adaptation, or Evolution if you will. Evolution doesn’t necessarily mean, say, frogs growing into apes into men. Merely, the alteration of an organism into something more. Take for instance human society. Reckon that to skin. Individually man, like those cells is a discreet and fully functional being. Combined with more they can take any of multiple forms, and survive vastly larger adversities. Colonies, cities, counties, states, nations, army’s, gangs, bands, teams. I should hope you know what skin can make. The evolution herein lie within the ability of these organisms to alter to either accommodate or surmount whatever they encounter. Back to my main point. It would seem to me an idea both reeking of balance and making more sense as to why live at all.. the classic reincarnation theory. Live, experience, grow, return, change all around you, do it again. Simply put, I see any variant of that as falling well in line with all observed “laws” of nature. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed… Yes, this implies a creator, gestalt, superbeing. I can not logically and without ignorance conclude against such a being. Nor can I remove some form of evolution of that creation. Given that, and the idea that memory depends on both storage of information AND experience as a point of reference; I don’t find it too hard to believe that my own recollections of times past are more than just works of imagination. Especially when most of those memories and dreams would surface in a time of relative contentment and more than occasional happiness. Most especially when many of these only came up during or after the meeting of certain other people… other souls I’d known before. And most especially when, after encountering types of “dreams” that me and a few others have had which we’ve come to term “warfare”; which more often than not would leave us waking with various physical ailments from soreness or severe pain to various swelling, cuts, bruising in shapes, patterns, and locations that it would be hard if not impossible to self inflict. For at these times they would have HAD to be self inflicted were they mundane in source. The reasons for these experiences are beyond the scope of this writing, but the reminder to me is clear: no matter how ensconced I may get in this here/now… it’s not the only time, place, or me.
topic: Philosophy
[reply] [36 comments]

A Few Updates	May 18, 2008, 10:40PM
by: eon
A few small updates have been added: 1. In the forums, you will now be able to see a list of the last 10 people to view any thread. To find the list, just go to any thread and scroll to the bottom, where you will find a table with the spiffy new info. 2. In groups, a feature has been added allowing you to block specific people from your group. Previously, to block people from your group, you had to set the group up to require an application and then not accept anyone who you didn't want to allow in. This works fine as long as you want to require applications/invites. If you wanted to run an open group, however, there previously was no way to keep the troublemakers out. This will also come in handy for blocking people who pester you by repeatedly applying to your group despite repeated rejections. Look at the 'manage members' section of your group control panel to find the new feature. 3. Andromeda members will now be able to see a list of the last 20 people to view any picture in their pic gallery. To see the list, just view any picture and look for a table with this info. If there have been any viewers, the table will appear above the picture comments. Keep in mind, since the featue has just been added, the lists haven't had much time to accumulate views, so it's likely you won't find much right away. I may add the same feature for Starling members (with a reduced number of people saved on the list). Currently, I am testing to see whether or not this is practical and what limitations I'll need to set. Find out more about Andromeda Thank you. And, Enjoy...
topic: Site News
[reply] [15 comments]

Americans Are Overmedicated	May 15, 2008, 5:45PM
by: my_little_pony
Americans today are overmedicated because doctors are giving medications to their patients that they may not really need. “More and more, patients' reported satisfaction with a doctor's visit is linked to whether or not they are given a prescription. Many see medication as the simple and obvious answer to any health problem, which can result in physicians feeling pressured to prescribe medications, even when they are not appropriate” (Greider). The reason doctors are doing this is because the patient won’t feel satisfied after a doctors visit unless they get a prescription. Because of this, antibiotics have been abused so much that the flesh eating superbug MRSA has adapted and made most antibiotics useless against it, causing MRSA to spread like wildfire. Also, many people are on psychiatric drugs that may have been treated with other less severe methods which they have not tried as treatment because of the easiness of a pill. With all of the medications that people are taking, the side effects from those medications warrant the use for more medications specifically made for the side effects of those previous medications. When have all these unneeded medications become so vital to American society? MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is resistant to almost all antibiotics, and it’s treatments are becoming more and more scarce as time goes on. MRSA, once only a fear of and nuisance to hospitals and nursing homes, is breaking out of it’s normal habitat and leaching schools, daycares, and prisons. “Experts blame the emergence of these souped-up bugs in part on our habit of treating so many infections with powerful antibiotics; the microbes battle back by mutating to become resistant to the drugs” (Park). This outbreak of MRSA could have been prevented, or at least severely delayed by Americans taking antibiotics only in appropriate situations and only as prescribed. Part of the problem is that patients prescribed antibiotics are only taking the medicine until they feel better and not finishing the whole treatment, which gives bacteria a chance to mutate and in a sense, “conquer” that antibiotic and render it useless to that bacteria. If more people understood this then perhaps they would not be so antibiotic-happy at the doctors office and maybe another superbug may not have a chance to surface. Unlike other physicians, some psychiatrists must seek out patients by persuading them that they need treatment. Drug companies are happy to assist them in this pursuit, as it boosts their sales in the long run. With that in mind, we can now see how psychiatrists and drug companies work together to promote the connection between brain defects and mental disorders. Modern drugs are then offered as the solution for supposed chemical imbalances in the brain. “However, there is substantial evidence that mental disorders are not caused by problems in the brain and that patients are being over prescribed psychiatric drugs when alternative treatments such as psychotherapy would be more effective” (Leavitt). An example of overmedication with psychiatric drugs is the amount of children improperly diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and the serious medications that these children are put on. Millions of children are being diagnosed with ADHD and put on medication that has been proven to have dangerous short and long term effects. Medical professionals have long acknowledged there is no objective criteria for determining whether a child has ADHD. Furthermore, the symptoms of ADHD have many possible causes, from sleep apnea to lead poisoning. Parents of children diagnosed with ADHD should really know about the disorder before letting doctors dope their children up on Ritalin (a stimulant that is close to cocaine in its composition and is most doctors’ drug of choice for treating ADHD) or something similar. With all of the medications that people are taking, more medications are being developed to combat the side effects of the previous ones. Dr. John D. Griffith, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, states: "I would like to point out that every drug, however innocuous, has some degree of toxicity. A drug, therefore, is a type of poison and its poisonous qualities must be carefully weighed against its therapeutic usefulness.” Unrecognized drug side effects are particularly of concern in the elderly, who tend to take more drugs for their ailments but metabolize them differently than the younger people tested and usually represented in drug-company studies (Greider). Wayne K. Anderson, Ph.D., dean of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Buffalo, tells the story of: An eighty-year-old man who had osteoarthritis and was given a drug that made him nauseated. His doctor prescribed an anti-nauseate, which, after several months, produced a tremor. The man went to another doctor, who diagnosed Parkinson's disease and prescribed drugs to treat it, which increased the patient's nausea, resulting in an increase of anti-nausea drugs. Finally, a pharmacist had a conversation with the man's wife and recommended he be admitted to the hospital, where the drugs were carefully withdrawn. “He was discharged with a single prescription—Tylenol, for the osteoarthritis. Over the course of a year this man had become bedridden and now he was able to get back into life” (Greider). This happens all over in American nursing homes. If a resident has an itch, gas, is constipated, or has even the mildest headache some form of unnecessary medication is likely given. Why else would anyone want to go to the doctor unless it was to get medicine for their ailment? “It has been suggested that the impulse to use drugs is universal, a trait that distinguishes human beings from other animals. And isn't there something inherently appealing about taking medicine? You swallow it—you get better. Getting a medicine defines and validates one's suffering, while offering the promise of a solution” (Greider) Medicines certainly do have their advantages! Without modern medicine there would be a lot more lethal infections, people in pain, and untreated psychiatric patients. Many people prescribed certain medications do in fact need them and would suffer considerably without them. Where do we draw the line between which medication is needed and which medication is not? Doctors advise using a bit of common sense. Always ask your doctor what the medicines that he is giving you or your child are for and what side effects there will be. If he is prescribing you antibiotics ask, “If I didn’t take this antibiotic, would my body be able to fight this infection itself?” If your body can fight the infection itself, do all of us a favor and let it, because the more antibiotics are used the less effective they will become in the future when bacteria mutate even further and render antibiotics useless. Always examine possible reasons for symptoms of psychiatric disorders and don’t automatically run to a drug to solve all your problems. We are humans, we are tough, and Zoloft hasn’t been around for the first couple thousand years of our existence, why do we think that we require it now? Works Cited Katharine Greider. "Americans Are Overmedicated." At Issue: Are Americans Overmedicated?. Ed. Amanda Hiber. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Umpqua Community College. 28 Feb. 2008 . Fred Leavitt. "Americans Are Overmedicated with Psychiatric Drugs." At Issue: Are Americans Overmedicated?. Ed. Amanda Hiber. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Umpqua Community College. 28 Feb. 2008 . Park, Alice. "Staph on the March.(BEST INVENTIONS OF 2007)(Life: Sport - Living - History - Health - Environment - Life After Work; Health)." Time. 170. 20 (Nov 12, 2007): 123. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Umpqua Community College. 28 Feb. 2008 . Bruce Wiseman. "Children Are Overmedicated with ADHD Drugs." At Issue: Are Americans Overmedicated?. Ed. Amanda Hiber. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Umpqua Community College. 28 Feb. 2008 .
topic: Essays
[reply] [60 comments]

	May 7, 2008, 12:58PM
by: Syn
What I don't get is all of these people concerned with the RIGHTS of Illegal Immigrants in this country. Awhile ago there were protests from Hispanics (a lot of which were illegal) about immigration policy. If these people WERE working (legally or illegally) they didn't go into work so they could protest Immigration Policy. And you KNOW that if some American Citizens decided to not show up for work because they wanted to protest a cause...they would get fired. What I don't get is that these people are CRIMINALS. They broke the law and came into this country illegally. They have NO rights here because they are not United States Citizens. They should not get ANY benefits at all. I have no problem at all with anyone of a different race. But if you want to be in this country so badly then go through the proper channels and come here legally like EVERYONE ELSE HAD TO. Some of my ancestors emigrated here from Ireland a long time ago and had to do it legally. And plenty of other people's ancestors immigrated here legally and learned the English Language. WE SHOULD NOT have to incorporate Spanish into anything we do in our day to day lives either. We are being expected to learn Spanish and have our kids learn Spanish. We have automated phone lines with Spanish options, signs going up in both Spanish and English...etc. If you want to come here, do it legally, and learn the language spoken here. We do not come to Mexico or any other country for example and expect them to speak and put signs in English. To me this is all just part of the coming North American Union. This is why our border policy is a joke in the first place. Lawmakers don't care whether or not people come across our borders, because soon enough we will have an open borders policy with Canada and Mexico (which is already in the works). This is all being laid out starting with NAFTA...then evolving into the SPP (Security and Prosperity Partnership). The SPP was first launched in 2005 by the heads of state of Canada, Mexico, and the United States at a summit in Waco. The SPP was not created by a treaty between the nations involved, nor was Congress involved in any way. Instead, the SPP is an alliance of foreign consortiums and officials from several governments. One principal player is a Spanish construction company, which plans to build a super highway through the United States and operate it as a toll road. But don’t be fooled: the superhighway proposal is not the result of free market demand, but rather an extension of government-managed trade schemes like NAFTA that benefit politically-connected interests. This has taken shape largely without approval from Congress, out of sight, and with no vote from United States Citizens. The United States Government is already illegally seizing privately owned land in Texas to build the TTC (Trans-Texas Corridor) which is part of the NAFTA Super Highway. This superhighway would connect Mexico, the United States, and Canada, cutting a wide swath through the middle of Texas and up through Kansas City. Offshoots would connect the main artery to the west coast, Florida, and northeast. Proponents envision a ten-lane colossus the width of several football fields, with freight and rail lines, fiber-optic cable lines, and oil and natural gas pipelines running alongside. The Kansas-City smart port will be a major hub/distribution center as well. Then cheaply made products from other countries can be brought into port in Mexico and carried at a higher volume and more quickly into the United States and Canada. So China, Corporate C.E.O.'s, and Government Officials that are deeply vested with Corporations can make much more money. The real issue is national sovereignty. Once again, decisions that affect millions of Americans are not being made by those Americans themselves, or even by their elected representatives in Congress. Instead, a handful of elites use their government connections to bypass national legislatures and ignore our Constitution-- which expressly grants Congress the sole authority to regulate international trade. The ultimate goal is not simply a superhighway, but an integrated North American Union--complete with a currency, a cross-national bureaucracy, and virtually borderless travel within the Union. Like the European Union, a North American Union would represent another step toward the abolition of national sovereignty altogether. Any movement toward a North American Union diminishes the ability of average Americans to influence the laws under which they must live. The SPP agreement, including the plan for a major transnational superhighway through Texas, is moving forward without congressional oversight-- and that is an outrage. The administration needs a strong message from Congress that the American people will not tolerate backroom deals that threaten our sovereignty. For far too long, we the American people have put up with big government. The time is way past due for us to speak up and let our voices be heard. We are sick and tired of a government that has its hands in every little detail of our lives. The founding fathers would be disgusted if they saw what we put up with by our government today. And don’t get me wrong, I love America, I love my country! I am very much a patriot! I believe it is the DUTY of every American Citizen to speak out against the government if they do not agree with things that are being done. The Constitution was written to restrain the government, never to restrain the people! America needs to follow the Constitution! This is not a document that is to be ignored, pushed aside, or buried under tons of bureaucracy like has been done for so many years now! Do some research people and see that the processes I’ve discussed are actually happening! Don't just say "oh that’s hogwash" and not look into it. These things are happening and the groundwork was laid awhile ago. Do your RESEARCH! http://www.ronpaul2008.com/
topic: Current Events
[reply] [5 comments]

Mother's Day	May 6, 2008, 9:54PM
by: graveofthefireflys
All of us have one. Well most anyways. Some of us don't know em and have a grandmother or step mom or are adopted some of us have a older lady friend to turn to. For those that don't turn to another article and I'm truly sorry that you don't have that outlit. The Mother's Day holiday, in the United States, celebrates motherhood generally and the positive contributions of mothers to society. It falls on the second Sunday of each May. It is the result of a campaign by Anna Marie Jarvis (1864-1948), who, following the death of her mother on May 9, 1905, devoted her life to establishing Mother's Day as a national, and later an international, holiday.(wikki yo) So it not being a fully card and candy day it does deserve some sort of respect from all that care to give it such. This is a day to show the female that gave you life, or influences your life greatly as a role model the respect they deserve. Come on now making people hurts like hell so give it up for the moms! Well least ways the having part does... Regardless being a mother personally with two small children I am just glad to be apart of my kids lives and look at it as a day to reflect on what it means to be a mom. I don't mean the bit where I get my kids everything they need (or my husband does) but the part that when they really need me even if its just for a hug how it feels to have them run at me smiling and laughing. How good it feels to comfort them when they need it and even how much fun it is to watch them grow and learn from the stupid things they do and will do. So even though some of you may be very annoyed by your moms if there over all decent human beings allow them that day if no other to know you give a fuck. Because believe me it does help knowing that your efforts are noticed from time to time. Well that being said I hope all of you moms on here and the moms to be have a wonderful mothers day and those of you that aren't mommies well make yours know you remembered.
topic: Life
[reply] [0 comments]

Animal Experimentation is Completely Justified and Necessary Because it is Essential for Medical Progress	April 26, 2008, 6:49AM
by: my_little_pony
Could you imagine what your life would be like if you were confined to an iron lung for the rest of your life with your only view being the ceiling because animal rights activists made it impossible to use animals to find the cure for polio? Animal experimentation is completely justified and necessary because it is essential for medical progress. Without the use of animals in scientific research we would not have as many preventative drugs for AIDS patients, nor as many vaccines for terrible illnesses, and also we would not have discovered the Rh factor, a very important issue when it comes to women and pregnancy. Regulations brought in to protect animals' welfare are hindering vital research, research that could possibly find the final cure for AIDS and different cancers. We need animals to test drugs to make sure that they are safe for humans before administering them to our children, parents, and ourselves. There are no substitutes for animals, other than humans, that work as well and produce such conclusive results as they do. AIDS research would be impossible without animal experimentation. In one case the bone marrow of a baboon (baboons are immune to the AIDS virus) was implanted into a human with AIDS in an experimental treatment, after which the baboon was killed painlessly with a lethal injection. Many animal rights activists disagree with what was done, but would have it been right to save the baboons life in favor of denying treatment to someone with AIDS? Animal transplants have enormous possibilities for people with leukemia and lymphoma who go without treatment in a lot of cases because of a lack of donors. Many researchers believe that through animal testing a cure for AIDS will be found, and one states that restrictive animal rights laws get in the way of progress. According to Joseph E. Murray, the 1990 Nobel Laureate in medicine, “Whenever a cure for AIDS is found, it will be through animal research.” Finding a cure for AIDS warrants the sacrifice of animal lives. In 1908, researchers Karl Landsteiner and Erwin Popper conducted an experiment on monkeys and by doing so changed the way animal experimentation was done. They removed part of the spinal cord of a boy who had died of polio and ground it up, filtered it and injected it directly into the spines of two monkeys. One monkey became paralyzed and both monkeys died. The spinal cords showed the same kind of damage as those of humans with polio. In a very simple way, Landsteiner and Popper had demonstrated that monkeys could be used to model human diseases. Other scientists caught on and in 1911, monkeys were found to be susceptible to measles, in 1914, mumps, and in 1928, yellow fever (Derbyshire). With his discoveries of how monkeys could be used as models of humans, Landsteiner discovered the different kinds of blood types in humans in 1930 and won the Nobel Prize. Landsteiner was particular about the kind of animals that he used and would onlyuse rhesus macaque monkeys, which was important because in 1940, he discovered a blood factor shared by the macaques and humans: the Rh factor. Short for rhesus, Rh factor refers to a cluster of highly reactive proteins on the surface of red blood cells. Most people have these proteins and are called Rh positive. A minority, however, lacks the proteins and is called Rh negative. If an Rh-negative woman becomes pregnant with an Rh-positive child, her immune system will develop an immune defense that will attack any future pregnancy with an Rh-positive child. Her immune system will rip into the fetus' alien red blood cells, jamming them together and exploding them. (Derbyshire) What an important discovery! Good thing that Landsteiner's discovery led to the development of a vaccine that blocked this terrible immune response. It is puzzling that some people would even think of saving a few monkeys rather than having this vaccine. Without animal testing many areas of research would come to a halt and many cures for things would go undiscovered. Thomas Starzl, the pioneer of the kidney transplant, was recently asked why he used dogs in his work. He explained that his first series of kidney transplant operations left the majority of his subjects dead. He figured out what enabled the minority to survive and began a second series of operations; the majority of these subjects lived. A third group of subjects received liver transplants and only one or two of them died. In his fourth group all subjects survived. Starzl remarked that it’s important to realize that his first three groups of subjects were dogs, while the fourth group of subjects were human babies. It is sad to say that some people would favor discontinuing this line of research rather than use dogs to refine the process. If animal rights activists had their way the world would by a very different place, a place which there would be very little pleasure living in. Animal activists oppose all animal-based medical research. If we had listened to their arguments 50 years ago, children still would be contracting polio (the vaccine was developed in monkeys). Diabetics would not have insulin, a benefit of research on dogs. We would also be without antibiotics for pneumonia, chemotherapy for cancer, surgery for heart diseases, organ transplants and joint replacement.(Murray) Animal rights activists believe that animals have just as many rights to life as humans do and should be treated as such. Organizations like PETA were formed to protect animal rights. People who support animal rights believe that animals are not ours to use for food, clothing, entertainment, experimentation, or any other purpose. PETA is right on a lot of their values. Animals should not be used for entertainment, nor should they be used for experiments concerning cosmetics. Do we really need another hairspray? The answer is “No!” But, do we really need a cure for AIDS? The answer is “Yes!” Many animal rights activists argue that a healthy lifestyle can prevent many diseases and ailments which would warrant the need for treatment, treatment which could have been discovered using animal testing. Some animal rights activists believe that medical research altogether could be stopped if people lived healthy lives and did not require treatment for diseases and ailments. This would be nice if it were true, but sadly it is not. My aunt and uncle, Wister and Tom Hart, are people who live very healthy lifestyles. They eat well, exercise, rest well, and are generally happy people. Both have had cancer and survived. If not for chemotherapy (perfected through animal research) they would not have made it. Who would be to blame for their deaths then? Medical research needs to use animals for testing in order to progress. It is not a necessary evil; it is just necessary. Just like animals, humans have the right to further their species and protect it so that it may flourish and not become extinct. When cancer, disease, and ailments arise, it is our right as human beings to find the cure for these things, however possible, without hurting other humans, because surviving is what we are genetically programmed to do. We live in a modern world today free of many of the diseases that plagued our past. Many of us have forgotten or simply not known what a different world it was before all the cures that came of animal testing. Because of this, animal rights activists simply do not see what is needed to live in such a privileged society such as we do, where issues of our survival are rarely worried about in our daily lives. They are sentimentalists, “Save the animals!” they cry out, but when it comes down to it, what they are saying means that they are more concerned about another species than their own, even if they don’t understand that that‘s what they‘re implying. If your child had cancer, would you refuse to use chemotherapy on them because the methods used to perfect it were tested on animals? Would you deny them medicine for pain for the same reason? I think not. Works Cited Derbyshire, Stuart. "Animal Experimentation Is Justified." Current Controversies: The Rights of Animals. Ed. Auriana Ojeda. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2004. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Umpqua Community College. 29 Jan. 2008 http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve& tabID=T010&prodId=OVRC&docId=EJ3010062239&source=gale&srcprod=OV RC&userGroupName=umpquacc&version=1.0. Murray, Joseph E. "Animal Experimentation Benefits AIDS Research." At Issue: Animal Experimentation. Ed. David M. Haugen. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2000. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Umpqua Community College. 29 Jan. 2008 http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve tabID=T010&prodId=OVRC&docId=EJ3010002205&source=gale&srcprod=OR C&userGroupName=umpquacc&version=1.0.
topic: Essays
[reply] [108 comments]

Sabian vs Zildjian	March 15, 2008, 3:49PM
by: Syn
Sabian is a Canadian cymbal designer and manufacturer. It is one of the largest in the world, along with Zildjian, Paiste and Meinl. The company was founded in 1981 in Meductic, New Brunswick, Canada by Robert Zildjian, son of Avedis Zildjian III, the head of the Avedis Zildjian Company. Family tradition had it that the head of the company would only pass its secrets down to the oldest son, but Avedis III gave the information to both his sons, Armand and Robert. This led to a family feud and a legal squabble, resulting in Robert leaving Zildjian to form the rival Sabian company. The companies continue to be rivals, and are both among the world's most popular cymbal brands. The settlement gave Robert Zildjian the Canadian factory that at that time produced 40% of the production of the Avedis Zildjian Company, and most notably the entire K. Zildjian line, all manufacturing in Turkey having ceased by this time. Robert agreed not to use the Zildjian name or to claim that his cymbals were the same. The most notable difference between Zildjian and Sabian is that Zildjian uses a softer, mellower sounding alloy while Sabian uses a more tin-based alloy. The cymbals of the two companies today can be distinguished by sound fairly easily. Sabians are relatively thinner for their advertised weight. Sabian cymbals have longer sustain (with some exceptions) than their Zildjian counterparts, and Zildjian have a faster response (or attack). Sabian cymbals tend to be mellower in sound overall, but all of these differences wholly depend on the individual cymbal model. Robert Zildjian formed the word "Sabian" from the two first letters of the names of his three children Sally, Billy and Andy, and initially released two lines of cymbals, HH and AA, both of them of the traditional bell bronze alloy. The HH or "hand hammered" line were widely regarded as being K. Zildjians in all but name, and there was nothing in the settlement to prevent this being the case, although Robert Zildjian was legally prevented from claiming that it was true. However it was the other line, only slightly cheaper in price, that caused a sensation. The AA line were machine-made bell-bronze cymbals. They introduced a subtly different sound that appealed to many drummers, and also a level of consistency which was at that time new in a line of bell-bronze cymbals. Currently, Sabian has nine different series of cymbals. Their B8 series and B8 Pro series are regarded as student-level or entry-level cymbals. Their Xs20 series are regarded as intermediate-level cymbals. Their AA series and the AAX series of cymbals are regarded as semiprofessional-level to professional-level cymbals. Their HH series, HHX series, and Vault series of cymbals are regarded as professional-level cymbals. Further, cymbals from the Signature series are models developed in assistance with Sabian-endorsed artists, the price and quality of which vary from cymbal to cymbal ------------------------------------------------- The Avedis Zildjian Company is a cymbal manufacturer Founded in Istanbul, Turkey. It is one of the world's largest manufacturer of cymbals, along with Paiste, Meinl and Sabian. At nearly 400 years old, Zildjian remains one of the oldest operating companies in the world. They also sell drum-related accessories, such as drum sticks. The first Zildjian cymbals were created in 1618 in Istanbul by an Armenian man named Avedis, who, while looking for a way to turn base metal into gold, created an alloy combining tin, copper, and silver into a sheet of metal that could make musical sounds without shattering. Avedis took the surname of Zildjian, from Turkish "zil+ci" (cymbal-maker/seller) and the Armenian suffix "yan" (son of), and began an industry in 1623, the details of whose main product remained secret for generations. It became family tradition that only the oldest son of the company's head would know the manufacturing process. The Zildjian Company moved from manufacturing noisemakers to frighten the enemies of the Ottoman Empire to manufacturing its cymbals as musical instruments in the 19th century. In 1908, Avedis Zildjian III migrated to Boston, while Kerope Zildjian continued to make cymbals in Turkey under the K Zildjian Constantinople name. In 1923, the Turkish Republic was established and the name of Constantinople was officially changed to Istanbul, resulting in the change of the company’s name from K. Zildjian Constantinople to K. Zildjian Istanbul. In around 1926, Aram Zildjian signed an exclusive American distribution agreement for K. Zildjian cymbals with Gretsch. Around 1928, Avedis III and Aram Zildjian began manufacturing cymbals in Quincy, Massachusetts, and the Avedis Zildjian Co. was formed in 1929, the same year that the Great Depression began, in competition with the K. Zildjian company in Turkey. Avedis made many innovations in cymbals that are still around today; he was the first to develop drum-set cymbals, and gave cymbals names such as ride, crash, splash, and hi-hat. Jazz drummers such as Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Louie Bellson, Shelly Manne, Cozy Cole, and Papa Jo Jones all used Avedis Zildjian cymbals. The cymbals were made with both automated processes and hand hammering, but Zildjian ended the latter tradition in 1964 after a rise in demand resulting from the popularity of The Beatles' drummer Ringo Starr on The Ed Sullivan Show. In 1968, the K. Zildjian Co. and all European trademarks were bought back by Robert Zildjian on behalf of the Avedis Zildjian Co. Zildjian was having labour requirement issues with oven room operators and machine operators, so Avedis split the production into two separate operations, one for rolling and casting only, and one for finishing work. They then opened up the Azco factory in Meductic, New Brunswick, Canada in 1968. From 1968 to 1970, the Azco factory produced Zilco cymbals. There were two types of Zilco: one was a thin rolling produced without any hammering at all, which cut costs. At about this time in the Azco factory, Robert Zildjian, with a man called Dick Dane, invented the modern process for pressing cymbals into shape. Before this it was done by bumping with the Quincy drop hammer. In 1970, Zildjian needed all their production capabilities at Azco for their regular Zildjian line, so the factory in Quincy (the then location of Zildjian) would send up castings to be finished into cymbals at Azco. At one point Azco was responsible for 40% of Zildjian's output. In 1975, there were problems with the Turkish government and Robert went over to Turkey and brought over a crew to start making K. Zildjian cymbals in the Azco plant. This was an interesting time for the Zildjian clan because it was the first time that Kerope and Avedis Zildjian had worked together to make the same Zildjian cymbals after years of competing with each other as A. Zildjian and K. Zildjian Istanbul. These were made until 1979 when Avedis died and Robert split from Zildjian amidst conflict with his brother, Armand Zildjian. Shortly thereafter, in 1981, Robert started making Sabian cymbals in the Meductic Azco factory, while Kerope and his son continued to make Sabian's early HH (Hand Hammered) cymbals. Other than cymbals, the Avedis Zildjian Company also produces products such as drum sticks and other drum accessories. The drum sticks are currently produced in Alabama. The Artist Series drum sticks allow these endorsers to personalize their own drum sticks, and these sticks are sold to the public. The Avedis Zildjian Company continues to produce cymbals today in Norwell, Massachusetts. Armand Zildjian was the head of the company after Avedis' death until his own passing in 2002. The company is now run by Armand’s daughters Craigie Zildjian and Debbie Zildjian.
topic: Essays
[reply] [2 comments]

Hail to the Fast Food Worker!	March 14, 2008, 5:03AM
by: Mooncradle
Now firstly it must be added that I in no way agree with any of the practices of the fast food industry but sadly due to unfortunate circumstances I ended up working in a fast food restaurant. This only gave me a more horrifying view of what the industry is truly like, especially the reality of what work for the fast food worker is truly like. It has to be said that the employees of the restaurant where I worked changed a lot throughout my time there, however most of the time everyone got on with each other. Most of the staff unhappiness came from the actions of our dear old manager and his bosses. Though of course, there was another factor, one that inspires me to write this article. This other factor was our customers and the rest of the public. In the time I have worked there I have been threatened, sworn at, spat at and physically hit at work. The managers there merely shrugged this off. These excuses for humanity are paying customers! They are allowed to damage the staff! We are given a very loud and clear message, we are disposable and the customers aren’t. And of course the favoured shift managers aren’t disposable either. Once we called the police because one of our managers didn’t want some kids in the restaurant and they wouldn’t leave. The reason she didn’t want them there is because they were being loud, no louder than a certain customer who told me I was a “f***ing whore” who should “Go back to her pimp” and should “Wash her c*** for once.” But of course that customer was treated with the utmost respect, meanwhile these relatively innocent kids got locked in the restaurant and had the police chuck them out. The worst thing is our restaurant manager asked us to lie to the police if they asked us any questions, to say we heard them swearing at the shift manager. They had sworn at us for not letting them out, so both me and my workmate agreed we’d just tell the police exactly what we’d heard, rather than lie. This same manager was allowed to bully certain staff members, including my own fiancé as well as many of my friends, despite having many written complaints, with witnesses, up until she left. Fast food restaurants are masters of breaking the law. They don’t expect the employees to know any better. For example for a while a 22 year old was being paid £4.60 an hour, nearly a pound under the minimum wage for over 21’s. They make under 18’s work past 11pm, up until 1am in the morning. This is also completely illegal as well as putting these people onto longer than 8 hours shifts. Why this industry feels it can do this to people I don’t know. Mostly they presume the employees are too dumb to know. The fact is I’ve met some of the most articulate and smart, if not educated people while working in the restaurant. I find it sickening that they pay below minimum wage and hold people over longer hours than they should. They don’t investigate claims of bullying and allow the customers to bully the staff to the degree that customers are allowed to hit the staff. Fast food workers are people too, and from what I’ve heard it’s the same whatever place you work in. Throw away your assumptions about fast food workers, boycott the places if you can, or maybe just give the person who serves you a smile and a “thank you.” (UK employment rights can be found here: http://www.direct.gov.uk)
topic: Rants
[reply] [21 comments]

My life is not perfect.	March 10, 2008, 11:37PM
by: MorningStar23
All of the following is true, I can assure you of that. I am writing this to let you see what some others have to go through. Give you some perspective, if you will. I don't care what you think, so if you read this and think about commenting about how this is fake and I'm just a liar just to try to get me to reply to you, know that I will simply ignore you. I was born in San Bernardino, CA in early June of 1990. I'm not sure if it began before or after I was born, but my real 'Father' had been raping my two brothers and molesting my sister. What I do know is that by the time I was nine months old, I was no longer technically a 'virgin'. We aren't sure what was put in me, but my hymen was no longer there. When my mom found out about all of it, she left him. We have been running and hiding from him ever since. He still tries to track me down. He had come close at times. My Mother met another man in Church. She married him. I was still very young. She stayed with him until I was four. My earliest memory is that man chasing my Mother through the kitchen with a knife until he caught her and stabbed her in front of me. She survived. I've always felt that I should have done something. We left in the middle of the night and were homeless for a long while. We mostly stayed in our vehicle. We lived with a number of people off and on. A place with roaches and very filthy people. We lived with a KKK member for a while. I had to leave my first friend at their house because, once again, we left in the middle of the night. It was my stuffed orange cat that, when shook, made a purring sound. I had named it Purring Blommy. To this day, I still don't know why. My mom met another man when I was six, she married him when I was seven. Overall, this one was nice. My very first real Daddy. We camped, played Frisbee, even grew a few Chia plants. I don't remember most of my second grade year due to it being blocked out. I recently remembered why. That was the year that my daddy started drinking. When he and my mom would fight, I would run into my room, shut the door, play my sister's tapes and sit crying in the corner. I was always afraid he would stab her. That was also the year that my brother started molesting me. I don't know why. Anytime I would refuse to give him what he wanted, he would squeeze my head as tight as he could, and he was training to become a professional wrestler, so he could squeeze me until I nearly passed out. I always ended up with a migraine when he did that, and once, an ear infection from the air being forced into my ear. My mom divorced her husband when I was ten. My brother stopped molesting me when I was twelve. Luckily, he had never raped me fully. All was fine for the next few years aside from my increasing depression. The depression was torture in itself. I hadn't told my mom what my brother had done to me, so all the hatred I felt was bottled up inside of me. I used to stab my mattress to keep from stabbing either myself or my brother. That poor mattress, when I was done with it, was torn from end to end. Given a chance, I more than likely would have stabbed my brother, but I remembered something my mom told me when I was very young. She told me to always love my siblings, no matter what. I thought that applied to every situation. Remember, I was young and stupid. I had lost faith in any chance that there might have been a 'God' by then, so I didn't even have faith to turn to. All I could count on was that the sun would rise again, and hopefully nothing would happen. My Mother met another guy when I was thirteen, she married him when I was fifteen. All was fine for a while. Shortly before their one year anniversary however, he molested me. I won't give you details, because, quite frankly, even I don't want to hear them. I ran away across the river, 24 miles away from home. I walked most of the way, except for when a kind stranger picked me up and drove me the rest. His name was Paul, and he was nice. I knew I took a chance by taking a ride, but at that point, I didn't care. Luckily, it turned out well. I told my mom about everything via E-mail the next day. I told her where I was and what had been done throughout my life. she didn't leave him per my choice. She loves him, and I believe that she might have knocked him to his senses that night when she was throwing things at him. I occasionally must remind him that he cannot tell me what to do by glaring at him, and walking away whispering the word 'pedophile' as I pass him. He doesn't talk to me for days at a time when I do that. He knows he's on thin ice with me when I do that. Due to all of this, I began to fear sex. I had it before, but still, I began to fear it. My latest boyfriend didn't understand. I didn't tell him until a few days before we broke up. He told me that if I didn't willingly have sex with him, he'd rape me. I know he was probably joking, but it pissed me off. I went off on him. I told him about my fear and he apologized. I believed him. I thought he would have respected my fear, but then he began talking of it again. We broke up because he wants a family and is pretty much willing to do anything to get what he wants. So here I am. I have endured all of this in my short seventeen years. I fear sex, I am single (more than likely forever after my last failure, and the realization that relationships just aren't worth it.), and yet, I am still alive. I wake up each day. I go to sleep each night. I still laugh, I still smile, I still am able to have fun. After all of this, I found what keeps me sane is the realization that others might have it worse than me and yet, they are still alive. I hope I have instilled that same realization in whoever may read this. For everyone who has it bad, there is always someone who has it worse, and yet they still keep on living life. Sarah
topic: Life
[reply] [39 comments]

Teenagers	March 10, 2008, 5:41PM
by: xPrincessofMiseryx
I've realized something about the teenage "species" if you will. I'm a teenager myself but I highly dislike being one,I've realized that most of us aren't the brightest crayons in the box. Most of us,along with some adults,live for today,not tomorrow,and in this world you can't do that,everything you do now comes back to you,and knowing that we,the teenagers,continue to screw up with our education and family relationships. All of us teenagers are really messed up in the head for various reasons,depressed,fake,stuck up, or just really insecure. Most of this is caused by teenage angst,but it's also caused by the fact that all teenagers think like this- No one has it better than us,and no one has it worst. For instance,let's say you're a teenage girl and you're confiding in one of your girlfriends because your boyfriend just broke up with you. You're friend would probably say "I remember when my ex broke up with me,it was terrible,your boyfriend breaking up with you is nothing compared to what my ex did to me. But you'll find a really sweet guy,I know I did." In that situation,you compared a past problem with your friend's to make it seem like you had it worst,and then the following statement you made it sound like you have it better than she does. This has been my rant about teenagers. We will always have the "No one has it worst and no one has it better than us" attitude.
topic: Rants
[reply] [6 comments]

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